Current Insurance Commissioner Shares Priorities

California 2018 Attorney General Candidate, Dave Jones, spoke at the November meeting of the Progressive Democrats of Benicia Club last Monday, with 35 people attending.

When asked why he is running for California Attorney General, Jones said he’s been preparing for the job his whole professional life. So, when former Attorney General Kamala Harris announced she was running for Senator, Jones launched his campaign.

Dave Jones was elected State Insurance Commissioner in 2010 and was reelected to that office in 2014 where he still serves. As Insurance Commissioner, Jones leads the Department of Insurance which works closely with state and federal prosecutors across the state to investigate and prosecute fraud and other insurance related crimes.

Jones discussed his three priorities if elected: 1. Resisting federal government efforts to undermine affordable health care, LGBT rights and Immigrant rights. 2. Promoting criminal justice reform including more transparency and accountability in policing and better integration of ex-offenders back into the community. 3. Consumer protection.

Jones noted that he is one of the only candidates who has pledged not to take campaign contributions from the Oil and Gas Industry, the Insurance Industry, Charter School PACs or Walmart. He is the only candidate in support of SB 562 – The Healthy California Act – to provide comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system for all Californians.

Asked whether he would defend the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) against those who would weaken it, Jones stated that California is in great need of additional housing, and that he would support making housing development easier to permit. He does, however, support environmental concerns in California.

As Insurance Commissioner, Jones leads the Department of Insurance which works closely with state and federal prosecutors across the state to investigate and prosecute fraud and other insurance related crimes. California has the largest insurance market in the United States where insurers collect over $289 billion in premiums a year. He has saved consumers over $2.6 billion in premiums by regulating insurance rates, issuing important consumer protection regulations and winning numerous court cases against the insurance industry.

California has the largest insurance market in the United States where insurers collect over $289 billion in premiums a year. He has saved consumers over $2.6 billion in premiums by regulating insurance rates, issuing important consumer protection regulations and winning numerous court cases against the insurance industry.

In addition to leadership of the Department of Insurance, his qualifications include serving in the Clinton administration for three years as a special assistant to United States Attorney General Janet Reno, representing California‘s 9th assembly district (Elk Grove/Lodi) 2004 through 2011, where he chaired three Assembly Committees including Judiciary, Health, and Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. Among legislative accomplishments he highlights sweeping protections for seniors and dependent adults facing abuse (Assembly Bill 1363 of 2006) and preventing HMOs and health insurers from charging men and women different rates for the same health insurance policies (Assembly Bill 119 of 2009).

Jones served over five years on the Sacramento City Council where he put into practice proven anti-crime and law enforcement strategies at the community level.

A primary goal of the Benicia Progressive Democrats is to learn which candidates for public office are most likely to secure, maintain and protect equity and justice for all people. The club plans to support and/or endorse those candidates in the 2018 elections. To that end, the club features guest speakers at their monthly meetings to learn where candidates stand on issues.

The next meeting of the Progressive Democrats of Benicia Club will be January 9th at the Benicia Library, Dona Benicia Room, 7:00 p.m., where the featured speaker will be Gayle Mclaughlin, 2018 candidate for Lieutenant Governor.